Just Us, Just Quiet
It was late. The room was unusually silent, the kind of silence that felt like a blanket, soft, still, and comforting.
We were alone in Daniel's room.
The lights were dimmed low, and only the soft amber glow from the desk lamp lit the space.
A slow song played quietly from his speaker, some acoustic loop that had been running in the background for a while.
Neither of us had spoken in the past few minutes.
But the silence wasn't awkward; it was grounding.
I was curled up on the far end of his bed, legs tucked beneath me, wearing one of his oversized t-shirts again.
He was on the floor with his back resting against the wall, elbows on his knees, eyes occasionally drifting over to me.
Then he finally broke the silence.
"You've changed," he said gently.
I glanced at him, raising a brow. "Changed how?"
He shrugged. "I mean… not like in a bad way.
You just feel… stronger.
Like you've been through a storm and came out of it with your head high."
I looked down at my fingers. "Maybe because I had no choice but to come out stronger."
He nodded slowly, thoughtfully.
"Your dad... I know that was hard. Seeing how he spoke to you, how he held all that pain so close, I—" He paused.
"It made me want to protect you even more.
And not just from him, but from… carrying all of that alone."
My chest tightened at his words. I swallowed.
"You didn't have to go with me, Daniel," I said softly. "You could've just said, 'Good luck, let me know how it goes,' but you didn't.
You stood by me. You defended me. You sat with me through my silence."
Daniel looked up at me now, his eyes warm, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Because I love you."
My heart stopped.
It was the first time he'd said it. Clear. Raw.
No teasing edge. No joke hidden behind the words. Just the truth.
"I love you," he repeated.
"Even when you try to hide your pain behind a smile.
Even when you think you're too much to carry. I'm not here just for the easy days, Nuella."
I stared at him, overwhelmed. "I'm scared," I admitted, my voice shaky.
"What if I mess up again? What if things get hard and I… fall apart again?"
Daniel rose to his feet and crossed to the bed, sitting beside me.
He took my hand and placed it over his chest.
"Then fall apart," he said. "I'll be here. We'll build it back together."
Tears filled my eyes. I leaned into his chest, letting myself breathe again, really breathe.
"I love you, too," I whispered, the words trembling from my lips.
He kissed the top of my head, holding me tightly. "I know."
And for the first time in a long while, I believed that maybe, just maybe, I didn't have to carry everything alone anymore
A Call to Represent
The lecture hall buzzed with its usual chatter, pens tapping, paper rustling, conversations flowing in every direction.
I had barely settled into my seat when the door creaked open and in walked Professor Liam, his usual calm but commanding presence instantly silencing the room.
He dropped his leather bag onto the desk, glanced briefly around the hall, and then spoke with a tone that caught everyone's attention.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I'll keep today short, we'll continue next class with your group discussions.
But first, I have an announcement."
I straightened in my seat.
"I've mentioned this before, our department will be sending representatives to an academic conference next month," he continued.
"It's an opportunity to learn, network, and present on topics that reflect the academic excellence of our department."
He paused, eyes scanning the room. Then, to my surprise, they landed directly on me.
"Nice to have you back, Nuella," he said with a nod.
I blinked. "Thank you, sir," I responded quietly.
Professor Liam smiled faintly. "Now, initially, we were selecting only two students.
But given the scope of this year's program, there has been an adjustment.
We'll be working with a small team."
He looked down at the list in his hand and began reading aloud.
"Nuella Johnson."
The entire class turned in my direction.
My heart raced slightly, but I stood slowly, making my way toward the front.
"Ophelia Brown," he called next.
Ophelia, a focused and often quietly brilliant student from my course, followed me to the front, giving me a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"Nice to have you both with me," Professor Liam said.
Then he leaned in a little toward me and added under his breath, "We need three more hands.
Strong ones."
I nodded, whispering back, "We'll make it work."
He raised his voice again, continuing with the new additions.
"Saraph Smith."
I turned around just as Saraph's jaw dropped from her seat three rows behind.
"Wait, what?" she muttered to herself, already rising as if pulled by an invisible string.
Her eyes met mine, and we both stifled laughter.
"And finally, to support with logistics and academic coordination, "From other departments, due to collaborative requirements..."Daniel Smith and Mateo Williams."
The hall broke into murmurs and glances.
Now with all five of us, Professor Liam continued, "You'll work together as a unit.
Presentation, research preparation, and delegation.
You'll also receive mentorship under the head of faculty. Travel details will be discussed soon."
He glanced at the class, then back at us. "Nuella, I trust you and your partners won't let me down."
"Of course not, sir," I replied confidently.
"Good," he said with a firm nod.
"The selection was based on your recent academic performance and leadership last term.
You've all shown initiative, discipline, and a willingness to go beyond your comfort zones.
That's exactly what this project will demand."
His tone softened a bit.
"When you're free today or tomorrow, see me in my office. We'll begin scheduling your orientation."
Then he faced the rest of the students. "Class dismissed."
As the room erupted in whispers and scattered applause, Saraph leaned into me with a teasing grin.
"Girl, what did you get us into?"
I laughed. "Excellence comes with company."
Daniel reached for my hand subtly, giving it a reassuring squeeze as we walked down the aisle together.
"This just got interesting," he murmured. "You're the leader now."
"And you're stuck with me," I replied, nudging his side playfully.
"Wouldn't want it any other way," he said with a wink.
As the five of us exited the hall, I realized this wasn't just a conference.
This was the beginning of something new. Something big. And we were all in it together.